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In 1852, John Charles Olmsted was born in Geneva, Switzerland, to John Olmsted and Mary Cleveland Perkins Olmsted. His father John, had contracted tuberculosis, and prescriptions of the day were fresh air and exercise. The John Olmsted family returned to the United States to reside at Tosomock Farm on Staten Island.[1]

John Olmsted continued the park planning begun by his father. He carried his design philosophy of integrated park systems into new cities such as Portland, Maine; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Spokane, Dayton, and Charleston. In these cities, he pioneered his comprehensive planning philosophy of integrating civic buildings, roads, parks, and greenspaces into livable urban areas.

Olmsted also designed individual parks in New Orleans; Watertown, New York; and Chicago. His work in park design led to commissions for numerous institutions such as school campuses, civic buildings, and state capitols, as well as designs for large residential areas, including roads and schools. His work in comprehensive planning for the communities surrounding industrial plants and factories is considered especially noteworthy.

In all his work, John Olmsted retained a sensitivity to the natural beauty of the site, including its views, vistas, and greenways. He wanted to ensure that communities and public areas must be comfortable and inviting. He favored modest, informal structures in a naturalistic setting to large, imposing structures.

1902 - Overton Park (342 acres) and Riverside Park (340 acres) in Memphis, TN, as well as a parkway system of broad boulevards.

1903 - The Seattle City Council hired the Olmsted Brothers to develop a comprehensive plan for Seattle's city parks and boulevards. John Olmsted was the firm's principal designer in Seattle and laid out a 20-mile-long system of interconnected parkways that linked parks and playfields, greenways, and natural lakes and waterways.